THE Sugar Alliance of the Philippines (SAP) welcomed the appointment of Hermenegildo Serafica as administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).
Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez confirmed on Tuesday, September 19, the assignment of Serafica, a member of the Sugar Board and a sugarcane planter from Ormoc City.
Serafica succeeded Anna Rosario Paner who was fired by President Rodrigo Duterte for alleged irregular hiring of consultants.
Duterte said that Paner hired three consultants for the Sugar Board earning P200,000 every month.
SAP spokesperson Emilio Yulo III said Serafica’s appointment is a welcome development after President Rodrigo Duterte’s earlier pronouncement on the possible abolition of the SRA due to alleged corruption.
“With the appointment of Serafica, the SAP believes that the President is prolonging the life of the SRA,” he said.
Yulo noted that the sugar milling season had started and amid the challenges the industry had faced, they are hoping that the appointment of Serafica would enable SRA to have a fresh start.
“We hope it would be a new start for the SRA since prices of sugar have not moved. The appointment would give a new boost to the industry,” he added.
Yulo also said the sugar industry stakeholders are very much willing to work with Serafica.
“We hope to hear that under the new SRA administrator, there is no threat to Sugar Order No. 3,” he said.
Sugar Order No. 3 provides guidelines on the issuance of clearance for release of imported high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and chemically a pure fructose.
The unabated entry of HFCS brought down the prices of sugar, the SAP said.